5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. The 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. 390 during the 1980 season. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. Tim Raines first became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2008 but wasn't elected until 2017 when he received a convincing 86% of the vote. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. But, you'll remember that by 1982, Topps was no longer the only major company producing baseball cards as both Donruss and Fleer had joined the scene the year prior. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. After nearly a decade-and-a-half as the standard for MLB catchers, Cincinnati Reds Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench changed positions for the 1981 season. 9 Roger Clemens #530. His struggles didn't last long, though, and maybe it was seeing Mike Schmidt win back-to-back MVPs in 1980 and 1981 because, by the following year, Murphy's production skyrocketed as he'd go on to win back-to-back MVPs of his own in 1982 and 1983. . The NL Rookie of the Year Award was close, with Raines receiving 85 vote points to Valenzuela's 107, but the Expos and all of baseball knew that Raines was something special. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. The player who played the most games at first base in major league history was Eddie Murray, who amassed 2,413-lifetime games at the position along with nearly 600 more as a designated hitter. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. For one more year, at least, Topps was the only game in town in 1980. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Set Links - Overview - Checklist - Teams - Errors / Variations - Hall of Famers - Rookies . And in this guide, I'll run through the ten most valuable. To commemorate Brett's 1980 MVP Award, Donruss basically changed the borders from green to red on his base card and slapped the "MVP" logo at the bottom while removing the team name and position. On the right side were four rows of six . You are looking at a 1981 Topps Rookie Card hand-signed by George Riley. If not for Fernando Valenzuela's incredible rookie performance and "Fernandomania" taking the sport by storm, Raines would've easily won the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year Award. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. Cards like this tend to have more value than regular ones. Most Expensive He finished the year with the best winning percentage of any starter in baseball (.875), notched his 3000th career strikeout on April 12th, and earned his twelfth-and-final All-Star appearance after a two-year absence. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. And that's when his career started to take off as he made his first of seven career All-Star Games during the 1980 season and would finish twelfth in the MVP vote. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. Accolades aside, Schmidt felt his best accomplishment was in one of the few offensive categories in which he didn't pace the Majors: batting average. At 41 years of age, it seemed time had finally caught up to Boston Red Sox designated hitter/first baseman Carl Yastrzemski in 1981. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". The nerve! George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. He was a two-sport star in baseball and basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, so it wasn't too shocking that the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA) and San Diego Padres (MLB) each drafted him. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. I love both of these cards not so much because it's Reggie Jackson we're talking about, but because of all the 1980's awesomeness on display. In his seventh season in the Majors, Yount broke out in a big way in 1980 as he led the league in doubles (49) while scoring 121 runs, driving in 87 RBI, and hitting 23 home runs to earn his first trip to the All-Star Game. I used to collect baseball cards as a kid and loved pulling out a pack of 1981 Topps Coca Cola cardstheir design was so much better than the regular issue and their limited print run made them seem much more valuable. And they delivered a great set with many stars and Hall of Famersand one of the biggest rookie cards of the 1980s. 10 Bo Jackson #600. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. In total, Henderson led the league in stolen bases . And the difference lies on the reverse of the card, as one version will point collectors to see card #251 for more Rose highlights while the other will direct them to see card #371 for more. However, once they got there, the Oakland Athletics promptly swept them in the ALDS as Brett went just 2-for-12 (.167) in the three games. Seaver was nothing short of incredible for the Reds that season but Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela was just a bit better and out-pointed Seaver in the Cy Young vote 70 to 67. 726 Rick Monday. The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". Read our methodology. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. They didn't call him "Steady Eddie" for nothing. 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. . In 25 postseason plate appearances (22 at-bats), Henderson hit .273 with two doubles, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. Murray appeared in his second All-Star Game that season and finished things off with a fifth-place finish in the MVP vote, one of six times he finished in the top five in his storied career. Here are the top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards: #15 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan #400 Recent sale: $898 . The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. "I had hit .300 before, but I couldn't hold it," he said. At the time, everyone thought the Padres were getting the better end of the deal as Templeton was a much better hitter. And finally, we're down to none other than Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest baseball icons of the 1980s and the game's greatest speedster to ever play. It's no wonder why, considering how Henderson's a beloved figure in the sport whose '81 campaign included a .319 batting average, a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a second-place MVP . 2 prospect in baseball at the start of the 1997 season after hitting . In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. Track your collection for free. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps Aurelio Alejandro Lpez Rios was a Mexican professional baseball player. At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. At least he was voted Rookie of the Year. The first standalone Topps Traded set may belong to 1981, but the first card to really make the series a hobby burner belongs to 1982 and to Cal Ripken, Jr. . And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. 1 1980 Batting Leaders - George Brett / Bill Buckner 2 1980 Home Run Leaders - Reggie Jackson / Ben Oglivie / Mike Schmidt . Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. During the first part of his career, Tom Seaver was absolutely dominant on the mound as he racked up 20-win seasons, Cy Young Awards, ERA Titles and Strikeout Titles like it was nothing. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. February 20, 2023; Super Bowl Delivers . 6. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. Brett's performance at the plate put him well above Milwaukee's Cecil Cooper and his own impressive .352 average to earn his second of three career batting titles. Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. The 1990 American League Most Valuable Player, Henderson also was the lead-off hitter for two World Series championship teams, the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . Things weren't always rocky during Jackson's time in New York, though, as they did win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. 722 Joe Niekro. Ultimately, the Padres and Cardinals would complete a multi-player trade before the 1982 season that sent Templeton to San Diego and Smith to St. Louis, where he would play the next fifteen years and become a Cardinals icon. We may earn an affiliate commission if you And, if you look back at his stats for his rookie campaign in the 1982 season, there really was no reason he shouldn't have made the All-Star team that year, too. During the 1977 season, Andre Dawson batted .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, which earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors. Because of his career accomplishments and his overpowering style, Ryan remains one of the game's most popular players to ever play and you'll see his name in just about every set's log of key cards. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. SEE THE CARD HERE! Despite missing the call to the Hall, Murphy was a hero to many kids who collected during his brilliant run in the 1980s, and today those kids are adult collectors with money to spare, keeping his cards in decent demand. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Contents hide. It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. During the first part of his career, Tom Seaver was absolutely dominant on the mound as he racked up 20-win seasons, Cy Young Awards, ERA Titles and Strikeout Titles like it was nothing. Price. Interestingly, Ryan's highest single-season strikeout total in nine years with the Houston Astros was only 270 in 1987, a year in which he also led the NL with a 2.76 ERA. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. After fifteen-straight All-Star appearances from 1965-79, Yastrzemski was left out of the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row in 1981. I remember several years ago you could find this card in a PSA 9 holder quite easily for $400 or so, which made it undervalued even back then. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. Like his base card, his All-Star card is just as tough to find in PSA 10 condition and also carries a large price tag. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). 0% He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Keith was a baseball first baseman. The current value of this baseball card is $199.99, it has the signature of Tim Raines. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. The subsets in the 1981 Topps baseball cards include the league leaders (1-8), record breakers (201-208), and team cards with checklists on the back (661-686).The key rookie cards from this set include #315 Kirk Gibson, #347 Harold Baines, and #302 Fernando Valenzuela. Cal Ripken Jr. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. It was also the first Topps set to feature a monster 792-card checklist. . Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie.. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to . But, hey, that's the kind of excitement that he brought to the game: you never knew if he were going to bury one over the fence or get sent right back to the dugout. Shortcuts: Smith earned the first of those Gold Gloves during the 1980 season when he also set the single-season record for most assists by a shortstop with an astronomical total of 621. The wrist band, the glasses.and that awesome stache You just don't see that kind of stuff in today's game so this card perfectly captures the style of the era and that's the great thing about baseball cards in general. 6) 1981 Topps Traded Rollie Fingers (#761) This may be the most iconic 1981 baseball card of all, thanks to 1) Fingers signature mustache, 2) the old-school kneeling pose, 3) the Cy Young-MVP twofer Rollie pulled off in 1981, and the 1982 Topps Kmart set that immortalized the entire card in miniature. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? During the offseason, the Padres and Cardinals worked a multi-player deal headlined by sending Smith to St. Louis and Garry Templeton to San Diego. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. Even though the image is kind of ghostly (see his right shoulder) on this card, it's my favorite of his three cards in this set given its an action shot. From there you can also add a Card to your collection or wishlist. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. In 1981, the 6'5 monster recorded his second straight 1000-yard season and led all of football with 88 catches. 1981 Topps Kellen Winslow Rookie Card (#150) Winslow took the big-bodied, good-hands tight end model that Newsome brought to the fore and ran with it (after the catch!). Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals would slam the door on any hopes that Jackson and the Yankees had for a World Series ring when they swept them in the 1980 ALCS. Card Number: #418. Pictured as a member of the New York Yankees, Jackson was actually traded to the California Angels for the 1982 season where he'd play for five seasons before heading back to Oakland for one final season. PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services The 1981 O-Pee-Chee features the Canadian version of the 1981 Topps set, where it is uncommon to see French on an MLB card. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. $68.95. 1981 Donruss. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. But, for the 1982 season, Smith would never actually suit up for the Padres as he was traded to St. Louis for another highly-regarded shortstop in Garry Templeton. Back to the point at hand. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded You can't help but think Topps was trying to produce as many cards as possible to keep collectors interested and to try and keep Donruss and Fleer, who had joined the scene in 1981, at bay. He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. Although Riley wasnt very popular, he was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The Atlanta Braves had used Dale Murphy at first base and catcher during his early years in the 1970s, but in 1980 they moved him to the outfield. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. His career was far from over at that point, but Schmidt's play showed the baseball world that they were already witnessing the greatest third baseman of all-time in the making. Ryan went 1-1 in two starts with a 1.80 ERA in the team's five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers, striking out 14 batters in 15 innings while walking just three. 723 Bruce Bochte. Things screeched to a halt, though, when Jackson injured his calf running the bases in Game 2 of the ALCS against Oakland. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. Grade: PSA 10. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. 3. He is ranked 33rd on the all-time list of career leaders for batting average among Major League Baseball players with at least 1,000 appearances at-bat. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. And unlike Brett, Schmidt followed up his 1980 MVP campaign with another one during the 1981 season. 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . However, what raised eyebrows was that the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the 17th round of the NFL Draft despite having never played college football. You'd think a third baseman with that kind of power wouldn't have had the best defensive skills but no, Schmidt was amazing on defense as well as he'd go on to win 10 Gold Gloves. The 1981 season was the St. Louis Cardinals 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and their 90th year in the National League (NL). Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. Murphy was often heralded as a five-tool superstar, but unfortunately, many felt his dominant play didn't last long enough to give him the type of resume worthy of Hall of Fame recognition. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. For example, his .693 OPS was the worst of his career by nearly 40 points (.721, 1961), and it was almost 150 points less than his career mark of .841. For 15 seasons from 1982 to 1996, Smith was a key cog in the Cardinals lineup as he went on to win 11 more Gold Gloves and appear in 14 more All-Star Games. Brett's career batting average of .305 wasn't quite as good, but he did put up the better single-season effort when he batted. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: The 1981 American League MVP race came down to two men, Oakland Athletics left fielder Rickey Henderson and former As closer Rollie Fingers. Oakland swept three straight from the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS but, the tables turned in the ALCS when the Yankees eliminated them in three. So, for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll have to be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. Murphy struggled a bit during the 1981 split season as his batting average fell to a paltry .247 and his slugging percentage plunged to .390 from .510 the year before. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. In twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, 10. 3. Throughout his career, Carter was known for his hitting and excellent defense, as well as his ability to handle pitchers. One of the most interesting things about Dave Winfield, and a sign of his incredible athletic ability, was that four professional teams across three different sports drafted him. In the team's NLDS loss to the Expos, Schmidt hit .250 (4-for-16) with one home run, two RBI, and four walks. This was limited to only 504 serial-numbered porcelain cards made and it has already been authenticated by Global Authentics (GAI). Plus Bonus Listings! However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. And they didn't know it at the time, but they also missed out on producing big-name rookie cards for Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines, and Kirk Gibson. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. Had Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela's not been so dominant in 1981, dousing the baseball world in "Fernandomania," Seaver would have earned his fourth Cy Young as he finished runner-up. His combination of speed and power was simply some of the greatest the game has ever seen. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball Cards. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. The Phillies had won the NL East for three straight seasons from 1976-1978, so Rose was supposed to be the guy who would finally put them over the top. Pate] #479. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. Enrique Romo Navarro is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. Beginning with the 1977-78 NCAA Basketball season, Ainge starred for Brigham Young University and capped things off in 1981 by being named a first-team All-American and winning the John Wooden Award as the nation's best player. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. 50. #9. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. Despite not being a Hall of Famer, Rose's legacy as one of the game's greatest hitters of all time keeps his cards in high demand throughout the hobby. Rickey Henderson, an American retired professional baseball player who played his entire 24-year career in Major League Baseball, helped break the sports color barrier. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. The following season, Seaver was as sharp as ever as he finished with an incredible .875 winning percentage after going 14-2 on the mound. Heres a rare rainbow foil card in mint condition by Risk Foil. So, for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll have to be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Ken Griffey Jr. $15.00. And he struck fear into opposing pitchers at the plate, especially when Joe Morgan and Pete Rose got on base ahead of him, as he was an RBI machine, leading the league three times. And, over the years, it's started to grow on collectors more and more after nostalgia for that era has increased and many collectors have a newfound appreciation for hobby history. We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. Wilson was incredibly speedy and was the Mets' career stolen base leader before Jose Reyes eventually broke his record many years later. Ungraded. In 196 plate appearances (178 at-bats), he slashed .309/.369/.489 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Ozzie Smith's 1979 Topps rookie card is also one of the last great rookie cards of the vintage era, but his second-year card isn't a bad consolation prize either. Incredibly consistent and productive during his 21 years in the Big Leagues, Murray ended his Hall of Fame career with 3,255 hits, 504 home runs, 1,917 RBI and set the all-time record for sacrifice flies with 128. If you do the math on those 2,416 strikeouts he accumulated during his time with the Angels, that meant he averaged302 strikeouts per season, a mark many pitchers would be lucky to reach even once during their careers. Mike Schmidt was arguably the best third baseman in baseball history and will always be remembered for both his power and his glove. Price: $299.99. His 94 runs scored and 111 RBI were also high marks for Jackson during his time in the Bronx, and by season's end, he would collect his first of two career Silver Slugger awards and finished second in MVP voting. 1981 Topps. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards.